#ncga: NINE (net) GOP losses in the NC House ???
I am hearing that internal polling / intelligence in the hands of Republicans on Jones Street is indicating just THAT kind of catastrophe for the November 2016 elections. Republicans in the General Assembly’s lower chamber started the most recent session with 74 seats. With the resignation of Charles Jeter, that drops to the current number of 73. (There were 77 Republicans heading into the 2014 elections.)
I am told that info making the rounds on Jones Street indicates a partisan breakdown of 65 Republicans and 
55 Democrats after the smoke clears in November and we head into the 2017 session. With a partisan divide that narrow, Democrats could swipe the majority by forming a coalition with just SIX Republicans — á là Jim Black & Richard Morgan. If they don’t accomplish that, they could still be in a much better position than they are in now to influence action in the House.
If Pat McCrory should survive Roy Cooper, it would be easier for him to work the other side of the aisle — something he appears very comfortable doing. I could also see the Dollar-Moore-Lewis troika trying something similar to hold onto power in the House as part of a smaller caucus.
I am told the Democrat game plan places most of its influence on Republican incumbents in and around Raleigh and Charlotte. The resignation of 
Charles Jeter in a Democrat-leaning district makes things easier for them. Public Policy Polling’s Tom Jensen let slip on a recent episode of Marc Rotterman’s TV show that Gary Pendleton (a GOP House member from Raleigh and a frequent commenter on this site) is occupying one of the seats Democrats feel most confident will change parties.
Meanwhile, Tim Moore is sitting on over a million dollars in cash with NO election opponent. His lieutenants Jason Saine, Jimmy Dixon, and Kelly Hastings — none of whom have opponents in the upcoming election — are throwing around campaign cash as frivolously as a college kid who has just signed his first NBA or NFL contract. If this prophecy of an election wipeout comes true, North Carolina Republicans need to aim their blame squarely at the man in the House chamber’s “high chair” from Kings Mountain.
Goodbye, veto-proof majority.
Probably won’t be needed anyway. What with Ol’ Roy staking his whole campaign on trannys, gays, and lesbians there are few outside Chapelboro and Durham who will vote for him.
Might be better off with Roy, maybe the House would at least have to pretend to oppose him.
Really, Tox?
Have you seen the way our House behaves? Call it desperation and no, I really don’t want Roy Cooper to win, but I get the impression our House leadership would be OK with that, because they can do business with anyone who isn’t a staunch conservative.
Why not! Tom Fetzer won a mayoral election on a Light tower being a waste of money, and the School Board was won back with the constant reframe of racism over busing. The Light tower is still there and the busing plan is still in place.. but the plan worked.. its all sound and fury.. a message that resonates.. Roys message is resonating.
Pendleton, according to the Civitas rating, is not one of the more conservative legislators.
One would hope that ”Little Lord Nelson” Dollar is one of those in a tight race again. He had a tight one last time. He would be no real loss. I seem to recall that he has a Libertarian also in his race, which some conservatives could use as a way to vote ”none of the above”. Given that Dollar is one of the solar thugs, voting Libertarian in that seat would be a highly appropriate vote.
Governor and pals of his are not keeping Clean Water Regulations for NC Rivers and Streams, the Pollution is moving across the state to the Coastal Waters and killing Seafood, Algae Blooms have occurred in Washington County. Impartial on Marine Fisheries Commission Board, CCA donating money for servicing as members for NC Marine Fisheries Com. No Seafood for NC Citizens = Pollution and over-Regulations of Commercial Fishermen!
It’s what they get for backing Progressive “public private partnership” toll lane deals and voting for discriminatory laws.
They hung the albatross of the I-77 toll lane and HB2 around their own necks.
Actually the polls show that when you explain what HB2 really is – bathroom and locker room privacy – the voters of North Carolina overwhelmingly agree with our legislators.
You do have a point with the toll lanes.
True True… too bad no ones attempts at explaining is getting coverage.. effectively there is no real explanation accept the news and observer. Push polling I understand is just plain ugly.
Privatization of public infrastructure is now a “Progressive” idea? Wow, you’re really desperate to absolve the NCGA Republicans, aren’t you?
The I-77 project was conceived & rammed through by ALEC Republicans, and supported for the most part by the rank & file.